This invention pertains to a compressor installation, and more particularly to a hermetic refrigeration compressor installation and method wherein resilient mounting grommets are provided between the compressor and a base upon which the compressor is installed.
It is well known in the art that hermetic refrigeration compressors for air conditioners, refrigerators and the like generate undesired noise and vibration. Numerous attachments, supports and other like devices have been designed for mounting between a compressor and base to suppress the noise and vibration and absorb shock, but none have been entirely satisfactory without being overly expensive. An example of a recent commonly used mounting device for a hermetic refrigeration compressor comprises a base plate, which is either larger in surface area than the bottom surface of the compressor or has arms extending beyond the bottom surface of the compressor, and to which the compressor is connected. Generally, the base is rectangularly shaped and has a hole in each one of its corners wherein a grommet is forcibly fit in each hole and secured thereto by a lip member integral to the grommet. In order to attach the base to the floor or frame of an appliance, there is provided within each grommet an aperture through which a sleeve is inserted for receiving a nut and bolt assembly. The nut and bolt assembly is then used to secure the compressor and plate to the appliance.
Several problems and disadvantages presently exist with the above base and grommet assembly. The most undesirable problem and disadvantage is that the assembly is costly due to the time and labor required not only to produce, but also to install it. At the manufacturing level, time and labor is spent in producing the base, drilling the required number of holes in the base, and then welding the base to the bottom surface of the compressor, thereby increasing production and labor costs. Thereafter, the installation of the compressor and base within the appliance further adds to the time and labor expended, which again increases total cost. At the installation level, the compressor is required to be inverted to allow hand feeding the grommets in the holes of the base, hand feeding the sleeve within the hole of the grommet, returning the compressor upright for placement on the floor of the appliance, hand feeling the bolt through the sleeve and through a hole in the floor of the appliance, connecting the nut to the bolt and then manually tightening the nut and bolt assembly to secure the compressor and its base to the floor of the appliance. Clearly, this operation is extremely tedious and, more importantly, overly expensive from the standpoint of production time.
In spite of the costly and laborious provision of the base, grommet, sleeve, and nut and bolt assembly of the hermetic refrigeration compressor, the suppression of the noise and vibration generated by the operating compressor is less than optimum.
As may now be seen, the necessary mass production of items such as the base, grommets, sleeves, and nuts and bolts, and their subsequent attachment to the compressor and the floor of the appliance, becomes a substantial fraction of the cost of the appliance in terms of time consumed, materials required, and labor expended.